Gov Bassey Otu
Following the boat accident that occurred in Cross River on Saturday, June 24, 2023, the state governor, Bassey Otu has ordered the immediate suspension of all cruise operations and other activities at Marina Resort in Calabar.
The accident involved 14 medical students with three feared dead and 11 rescued.
The Governor’s Chief Press Secretary, Emmanuel Ogbeche, further disclosed that his principal also ordered that “cruise boat operators with the management of the State Tourism Bureau are to attend a meeting in the Office of the Secretary to the State Government on Tuesday, June 27th, 2023 by 12pm”.
The statement added;
“Besides the cruise boat operations, the State Ministry of Transport is to immediately cross-check the safety standards and conditions of all boats operating in the Calabar waterways.”
Otu who sympathised with the families of the affected students over the unfortunate incident, also asked that the police speed up investigation of the boat accident and prosecute those found culpable to serve as deterrence to others.